through October 18, 2015
by Konrad Rogowski
Directed by Rand Foerster, the Majestic Theater's production of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" is both an emotional and energetic show, as it tells the tragic tale of those caught in the web of lost loves and riches, and those struggling to eke out a life in the present.
Directed by Rand Foerster, the Majestic Theater's production of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" is both an emotional and energetic show, as it tells the tragic tale of those caught in the web of lost loves and riches, and those struggling to eke out a life in the present.
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| Photo by Lee Chambers |
Solid performances are delivered by leads Justin Fuller and
Ashley Malloy as Stanley and Stella, and by Suzanne Kimball and Tim Cochran as
Blanche and Harold. The four play off of each other well, and deliver on the
emotions and the physicality that these roles demand. The actors portray
characters of the culture of the gentile South of days long lost colliding with
the harsh reality of the hard working, hard drinking, and hard living
common/everyman. Ultimately, not all can survive intact.
Nicely juxtaposed to the fates of the lead characters are
the often-overheard domestic conflicts of their upstairs neighbors, Eunice and
Steve, echoing the ongoing trials of those who live and love in an imperfect
world. The backdrop for this tale is a gritty two-story set by Greg Trochlil
that captures the now faded elegance that once might have been this streetcar
stop in the French Quarter. Similarly, the soft warm lighting design of Daniel
D. Rist helps keep the secrets and the lies that dwell just below the surface
of these intertwined lives out of sight until the searing light of truth
exposes them.
This streetcar ride is well worth the fare.
